By Landing Colley
The Gambia has recorded the United Kingdom variant cases – the fastest transmissible coronavirus infection – the minister of health Dr. Ahamadou L. Samateh revealed in a meeting with national assembly select committee on health.
He said two people were tested positive for the new variant. He was summoned on Thursday to give update on covid-19, the strategies in place and the state of preparedness as a ministry in addressing any possible resurgent of the pandemic.
“Our sequencing has revealed that two UK variant is in the country now and we are delighted to say that they were tested on arrival and one of them was symptomatic,” he said.
He added: “We want to do more and more testing and it has been free in order to encourage many people to come, but for people who are travelling outside the country that will require a certificate that cost is put on it for sustainability.”
We can sequence to know the various variant of covid-19 because there are UK variant and South Africa variant and possible there are others that are coming up, he said.
On vaccines rollout
He said: “vaccination is a very important step to such infection disease like covid-19 which has affect the world and the demand is higher for whatever vaccine that may be available.
According to him, the availability now is of concern and the ministry of health has applied the covax facility which will cater for 20% of the population maximum.
Dr. Samateh told lawmakers that his ministry target is to vaccinate up to 70% of the population, revealing as they are working with WB for the rest of the percentages as it will be share cost with GAVI.
“Covid-19 is still a big challenge as it is costing devastation and we have learned so much about Coronavirus because even in the developed country more people had died. We should strengthen strategies to be able to contain the disease.”
According to him, there has been a recent increase of cases after the changing of the weather and now with the opening of the airport, adding the three treatment centers are ready now and doctors have also developed various treatment protocols for the care of this patient base on what is happening elsewhere.
Dr. Mustapha Bittaye of at the health ministry also said: “I think we are in begin of the second wave hence it starting to go up and if we act very fast and effectively it will go down but it might continue to go up depending on how our response toward the virus.”